How to Choose a First-Time Buyer Agent in Montreal

What does the Montreal market actually look like right now, and what does that mean for someone buying a first home? Most first-time buyers ask that before they ask anything else, and the answer shapes who they should hire to help.

The market a first-time buyer walks into

Montreal's residential market entered 2026 in a seller-favoured position that has not loosened much. The census metropolitan area recorded 11,333 residential sales in the first quarter of 2026, down 4 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Fewer sales did not translate into softer prices.

Active listings reached 18,294 by the end of the first quarter, up 10 percent year over year. More choice sounds like relief for buyers, yet the median single-family home still sold for $640,000, a 7 percent increase. The plex market climbed further, with a median of $865,000, up 8 percent.

Condominiums tell a different story. Condo listings rose 19 percent over the year, and the median condo price held nearly flat at $425,000, up just 1 percent. That gap between condo supply and condo pricing is where a first-time buyer often finds room to work.

Speed matters too. Single-family homes changed hands in an average of 38 days in the first quarter, ten days faster than a year earlier. Condos took 54 days. A property that sits on the market longer gives a buyer more room to negotiate.

A first-time buyer does not need the busiest agent in the city. They need one who reads these specific numbers correctly and acts on them.

What a capable first-time buyer agent does differently

Good representation in this market is less about volume and more about fluency. An agent worth hiring can explain why a condo listed for an average of 54 days carries different negotiating math than a single-family home that moves in 38. They translate a median into a plan for a particular buyer at a particular budget.

Neighbourhood-level pricing fluency comes first. Island-wide medians hide wide swings between boroughs, so an agent who quotes a single number for all of Montreal is giving thin guidance. The real work is knowing which streets sit above or below the $640,000 single-family median and why.

Financing readiness comes next. With the Bank of Canada policy rate at 2.75 percent as of its June 2026 setting, monthly payment math has steadied compared with the sharp climbs of prior years. An agent who works frequently with first-time buyers keeps a network of mortgage brokers and notaries ready, so a client walks into an offer already qualified rather than hoping to qualify.

Offer strategy is where preparation pays. In a market still tilted toward sellers, a clean, well-timed offer with sensible conditions beats a higher number wrapped in weak terms. Inspection clauses and condominium document review protect a first-time buyer from the costs they cannot see on a showing.

How to evaluate an agent before you sign

A first-time buyer can judge an agent with a short set of practical questions. Ask about recent activity in your target neighbourhoods and price band, not citywide totals. Ask how quickly calls and messages get returned during an active search. Ask for references from past first-time buyers.

Working knowledge of the welcome tax, the droit de mutation, should be automatic. So should familiarity with first-time buyer incentives and the documents a condominium purchase requires. An agent who cannot walk a newcomer through these on a first meeting is telling you something.

Language access counts in Montreal. An agent who works in English, French and Spanish removes friction from paperwork and negotiation for a wider set of buyers.

Where LJ Realties fits

LJ Aguinaga has been a licensed broker since 2008 and founded LJ Realties in 2013. He holds an accounting and finance background from McGill and has led more than 50 renovations. He also developed a nine-unit building from the ground up. A large share of his transaction work involves plexes, and he works frequently with first-time buyers as well as on military and relocation files across Montreal Island.

LJ Realties is a boutique agency by design. For a first-time buyer who wants direct access to the broker handling their file, rather than a handoff to a junior team member, that structure is the point. The market of mid-2026 rewards preparation and neighbourhood knowledge over sheer size, and a smaller practice can deliver both.

Buying a first home in this market is manageable with the right guidance. The numbers reward buyers who move with a clear plan and an agent who knows how to read them.

LJ Aguinaga is a licensed real estate broker in Montreal and the owner of LJ Realties. This article is general information, not personalised financial or legal advice.

LJ Aguinaga

LJ Realties — Residential and Commercial Real Estate Agency

LJ Aguinaga is a licensed real estate broker in Montreal and the owner of LJ Realties. This article is general information, not personalised financial or legal advice.